Hadden gives Paterson a new lease of life

Scottish rugby has rarely hosted so reviled a figure as Matt Williams, the Australian who coached the national side from his appointment after the 2003 Rugby World Cup until his unceremonious sacking 16 months later. Williams ended with a record of just three wins from 17 Tests, a reign of wretchedness that took the sport in Scotland to a low ebb.

Player power was seen as a huge factor in Williams' departure, but few would have felt the depth of satisfaction experienced by Chris Paterson when he left. In what was seen as a populist gesture at the time, Williams appointed Paterson as captain for the 2004 RBS Six Nations Championship, but then burdened him with such a tightly controlled game plan that the natural footballer's instinctive gifts were nullified.

Unsurprisingly, the confidence of the player, who was also adjusting to a move from full-back to fly-half, took a battering in that championship. Paterson's recovery began only when Frank Hadden was appointed to succeed Williams last year, so his restoration to the captaincy for today's Murrayfield Test against the Pacific Islanders might be seen as a fitting conclusion to that process.

Of course, the leader's role only became vacant as a consequence of the serious knee injury suffered by Jason White in the course of Scotland's 48-6 win against Romania last weekend, so Paterson has been understandably reluctant to celebrate his appointment. He said: "It's a huge honour to be made captain, but losing Jason is a massive loss, not only from the leadership point of view, but from the performance point of view as well."

Paterson takes over at full-back today from Hugo Southwell, last weekend's man of the match. Scotland are favourites to win, but the scratch nature of the opposition and the uniquely mercurial talents of Fijian wing Rupeni Caucaunibuca add elements of unpredictability to the clash.

Caucau, as he tends to be known, plays for French side Agen and missed the Islanders' defeat by Wales last weekend, remaining in France after claiming he had lost his passport. Scottish supporters who recall the combination of blistering pace and elusive running he summoned to score two tries against their side in the 2003 World Cup might come to regret the fact he has since found it.

"I would rate Caucau as the best attacker in the world," said Paterson. "He's an out-and-out match-winner. He has the capability to cause as much damage as Jonah Lomu could in his prime."

Hadden is also an enthusiast for expansive rugby, and Paterson explained that captaincy was less of a burden when it came with a licence to play rugby off the cuff. "You have to learn leadership and I like to think I'm further down that road than I was in 2004," said the 28-year-old.

"But I also think the whole squad has moved forward. The style of play, the results we've had and even the harmony in the squad is like night and day.

"Everybody believes wholeheartedly in what Frank is doing. We're excited and we're enjoying it. I can't say that was totally the case two or three years ago."